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Entry 105Filed under Breeding

Local Media Tips for Shelters and Rescues: How to Get Your Adoption Event in the News

How shelters and rescues can get local coverage: a strong local hook, the right reporter, a simple media alert, a prepared spokesperson and a polite follow-up.
4-minute read By Animalso Team
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Local coverage comes from a specific hook, the right reporter, an easy-to-cover event, a calm spokesperson and a polite follow-up. No tactic guarantees coverage, and no reliable data shows which tactic works best. But these steps are the ones that Best Friends Animal Society, a Victorian government campaign toolkit, Trout Unlimited and an Australian family advocacy group all recommend. This guide adapts them for shelters, rescues and animal groups with little media experience.

Start with a one-sentence local story

Before you contact anyone, write the story in a single sentence. It should say what is new or timely, who is involved, what will happen, where, and why the community should care. The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) toolkit puts it this way: “Determine a local ‘angle’ – create a ‘hook’ for an interesting story – what’s new/unusual/going to happen, who will be there and why.”

“We’re holding an adoption event” is an announcement. These are stronger hooks:

  • A named local animal and the person who will meet it at the event.
  • A local reason the event is happening now, such as a full shelter or a neighborhood partnership.
  • A person whose life changed because of an adoption.

Trout Unlimited’s chapter guidance gives the same advice for volunteer groups: put people and place at the center of the story.

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Match your ask to the size of the story

Trout Unlimited suggests proportion. A routine meeting may only merit a calendar listing, while a major local project can justify a feature or interview request. For rescues, that usually breaks down like this:

Story Realistic ask
Regular weekend adoption event Community calendar listing or a short brief
Special event with a local twist Media alert, a call to one reporter, a photo opportunity
Larger story, such as a capacity crisis, a long-stay animal or a notable rescue Feature or interview request with a spokesperson and access

Find the right outlet and reporter

  1. List the local newspapers, online news sites, radio stations and TV stations that cover your area.
  2. Find a reporter or presenter who covers pets, community news or similar topics. Read, watch or listen to their recent work to see what the outlet actually runs.
  3. If you cannot tell who covers the topic, ask the reception or news desk. The Juvenile Arthritis Foundation Australia (JAFA) guide suggests this.
  4. Record the outlet, reporter, preferred contact method and deadlines. Trout Unlimited recommends keeping this organized so future volunteers can pick it up.

Prepare what a reporter needs

A media alert or release

The VGCCC toolkit lists what an event alert should contain: date, time, venue, a contact name and phone number, photo opportunities and areas of interest. A release gives fuller background. That toolkit recommends using both in sequence for its event outreach. For a small adoption event, a one-page alert with a named, reachable contact is usually enough. Follow each outlet’s stated submission channel and deadlines.

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Visuals

Plan the picture before the event. Show the story, not a group lined up for a photo. Trout Unlimited’s example is a people-focused cleanup image. Offer a strong image with your release, but do not promise it will run. Confirm you have the right to share any identifiable images, especially of children, and follow both your own policy and the outlet’s.

A spokesperson

Best Friends recommends one or two spokespeople for an adoption event. Their advice for preparing them:

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  • Prepare a 30-second explanation of your organization.
  • Write talking points on index cards and say them aloud before the event.
  • Name the organization and its website in answers.
  • Keep answers short. The guide’s wording is: “Think sound bites. Keep your answers short and concise. Less is more.”

Anticipate likely questions, and stay reachable by phone during and after the event.

Make the pitch

  1. Use the reporter’s preferred channel. JAFA notes that a short phone call can help when email gets no response.
  2. Time it. For events, the VGCCC toolkit suggests calling a suitable reporter a week or two ahead, emailing the alert after you speak, and making a reminder call the day before. That is one campaign’s advice, so adjust it to the outlet’s deadlines.
  3. Keep the first message short. JAFA’s sample email puts the sender, location, why you are writing now and an offer to share a personal story near the top.
  4. Offer access. Say who can be interviewed, when, and what the reporter could photograph or film.

On event day

Everyone on site should know who handles media, and that person should have the contact phone available. Best Friends cautions that visiting TV, newspaper and radio staff may need only enough information for a short story, so stay focused on the advertised event and give them the essentials quickly.

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Follow up, and handle a no

  • No reply: JAFA suggests waiting one to two business days, then sending a brief, courteous check-in. That is one organization’s guidance, not an industry rule.
  • Interested: Ask what they need next, such as an interview, background, images or access.
  • Declined: Thank them and ask what kinds of stories or timing might suit them in future. That keeps the relationship open for your next event.

Adapting these tips

Best Friends’ guide is written for US shelters and adoption events. The VGCCC toolkit covers a 2024 Victorian campaign, so its dates and contacts are historical. JAFA’s guide is aimed at Australian families, and Trout Unlimited’s is for volunteer conservation chapters. Their process advice carries over, but local practices and outlet preferences vary, so check each newsroom’s current submission rules.

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